Performers & Creators Lab

Prepare to be inspired! I sat down and had an electric conversation with comedian Ellis Rodriguez (Comedy Central, Stand Up NBC) where he dropped some real truth about comedy life, inspiration, voice, bombing and more! Listening to this episode may just give you that "one stroke" of inspiration you need to take your work to the next level.
See Ellis Rodriguez live at The Comedy Edgiest, Thursday, March 16th at 7th West in Oakland, CA - get tickets & info>>Ellis Rodriguez’s passion for standup comedy is evident whenever he performs, he is a favorite at comedy clubs across the West Coast including the Improv, Laugh’s Unlimited, Tommy T’s, PepperBelly’s, and the Laugh Factory. He has also performed in filmed showcases including Shaq’s All Star Jam, Laugh’s On FOX, and Comedy Central & Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City. He even gives his time to support the military with his national show Semper Funny, in addition to supporting cancer treatment, the homeless, and the arts. An energetic performer, his comedy is appealing to any comedy audience. In addition to being a hilarious comic, Ellis Rodriguez is also a charismatic actor and stellar writer. He has been the lead in commercials and the Film Shrinkage. Ellis is currently focusing on expanding his brand. Look out for his upcoming projects, the film “Fight 4 Your Life” and a Cartoon Strip titled Plato’s Cave. Follow him on Instagram @ellistrated

Holly Shaw has been featured on stand-up comedy showcases all over the Bay Area and Northern CA including Cobbs Comedy Club, Alameda Comedy Club, Cheaper Than Therapy, Laughs Unlimited and the Oakland Comedy Festival. In addition to being on her way to becoming a powerful voice in comedy she is also known for producing and creating spaces where creativity and innovation thrives. She is the executive producer of The Comedy Edge, which started out on the Oakland waterfront at Brooklyn Basin, and enjoyed a streak of sold-out weekly shows (100+ seats) from 2020 - 2022. Before becoming a comedian, Holly Shaw spent a lifetime on stage, T.V. and film as an actor, professional dancer and later as a speaker, coach and hypnotherapist. She's authored two books: the Amazon bestseller, The Creative Formula, as well as the newly released book, Making Art In the Middle of Madness.Through all of her offerings she has helped thousands of performing artists, some of them Emmy Award winning and Grammy nominated, overcome stage fright, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can create the work they were born to make and become undeniably magnetic performers. Currently she lives in Oakland, CA where she coaches artists, performs regularly and produces The Comedy Edge. To learn more, please visit www.HollyShawComedy.com

Dan Cantrell is an Emmy award winning composer and multi-instrumentalist known for his innovative film scoring approach, and his virtuosic abilities on the accordion, piano and musical saw. “Hauntingly beautiful...quirky and energetic” says the San Francisco Bay Guardian. His extensive scoring catalogue spans a wide range of emotion and style. Dan’s compositions for film and television have earned him numerous awards including an Emmy Award for KQED’s Home-Front,a Golden Gate award for the soundtrack to the documentary Divided Loyalties, and an Annie nomination for his work on three seasons of Cartoon Network’s the Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Visit bellowhead.com

Holly talks to you about how listening to your body can be the one degree shift you need today to place yourself on a different trajectory in your life. How focusing on the process as opposed to the destination is the answer for getting the juiciest experience out of your day and out of your craft.
If you're in the Bay Area, please join me at the new show I'm producing, Comedy Culture Club which happens every Friday night at Buck Wild Brewing in Oakland starting September 8th, 2023. Click here for more info and tickets>>Holly Shaw has been featured on stand-up comedy showcases all over the Bay Area and Northern CA including Cobbs Comedy Club, Alameda Comedy Club, Cheaper Than Therapy, Laughs Unlimited and the Oakland Comedy Festival. In addition to being on her way to becoming a powerful voice in comedy she is also known for producing and creating spaces where creativity and innovation thrives. She is the executive producer of The Comedy Edge, which started out on the Oakland waterfront at Brooklyn Basin, and enjoyed a streak of sold-out weekly shows (100+ seats) from 2020 - 2022. Before becoming a comedian, Holly Shaw spent a lifetime on stage, T.V. and film as an actor, professional dancer and later as a speaker, coach and hypnotherapist. She's authored two books: the Amazon bestseller, The Creative Formula, as well as the newly released book, Making Art In the Middle of Madness.Through all of her offerings she has helped thousands of performing artists, some of them Emmy Award winning and Grammy nominated, overcome stage fright, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can create the work they were born to make and become undeniably magnetic performers. Currently she lives in Oakland, CA where she coaches artists, performs regularly and produces The Comedy Edge. To learn more, please visit www.HollyShawComedy.com

In this episode Holly tackles the issue of loneliness and healing the wounds of community, betrayal and how to find your true people.
We cover a ton in this episode:

• Shocking effects of loneliness and why you shouldn't ignore it
• The Outlaw Archetype: what is it and why you may gravitate towards it
• Reasons why you may have become disconnected in the first place
• Holly shares her own personal story about community and betrayal
• Four components of community-what is it really?
• How you may be blocking yourself from connection with others

BONUS - At the end of this episode Holly leads you through the Community Deep Dive exercise from her book, Making Art In the Middle of Madness.

• Four Questions you can ask yourself to identify:
  • The communties where you already belong
  • How you actually show up there
  • Where you should invest in more
  • People you may need to walk away from

About Holly Shaw
Before becoming a comedian, Holly Shaw spent a lifetime on stage, T.V. and film as an actor, professional dancer and later as a speaker, coach and hypnotherapist. She's authored two books: the Amazon bestseller, The Creative Formula, as well as Making Art In the Middle of Madness and she was a regular teacher at SAG/AFTRA's conservatories in San Francisco as well as Los Angeles. Her podcast, Performers & Creators Lab, was named One of the Most Outstanding Podcasts of 2019 by Databird Research. Through all of her offerings she has helped thousands of performing artists, some of them Emmy Award winning and Grammy nominated, overcome stage fright, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can create the work they were born to make and become undeniably magnetic performers. To learn more, please visit www.performersandcreatorslab.com
Composer
Dan Cantrell is an Emmy award winning composer and multi-instrumentalist known for his innovative film scoring approach, and his virtuosic abilities on the accordion, piano and musical saw. “Hauntingly beautiful...quirky and energetic” says the San Francisco Bay Guardian. His extensive scoring catalogue spans a wide range of emotion and style. Dan’s compositions for film and television have earned him numerous awards including an Emmy Award for KQED’s Home-Front,a Golden Gate award for the soundtrack to the documentary Divided Loyalties, and an Annie nomination for his work on three seasons of Cartoon Network’s the Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Visit bellowhead.comOther Helpful Resources/Loneliness
Why Community Matters So Much and How to Find Yours (Vox)
Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions (CDC)
Where Did All My Friends Go? A Simple Guide to Finding Your People (Mel Robbins)

Comedian Melissa McGillicuddy (Voted best comedian, Sacramento News & Review 2019) will be headlining at the Comedy Edge Saturday, June 18th and I was happy to have the chance to grab her for a conversation about how she got her start in comedy even though she's shy, hear her worst stories of bombing and her tips for writing great material.
Get tickets to see Melissa at the Comedy Edge in Oakland, June 18th, 2022 >>
About Melissa
Melissa McGillicuddy is a stand-up comedian based in Sacramento, California. As a newcomer to the scene in 2015, she won the Wildcard Competition at the Sacramento Comedy Festival. Since then, Melissa has performed at SF Sketchfest, the World Series of Comedy, and colleges all across the country. She has also opened for talented comedians such as Cameron Esposito, River Butcher, and Vicki Barbolak. Being an only child raised by a single mom in a conservative town, Melissa found she didn’t always fit in, so she used humor as a way to connect with people. Her dry wit and unique perspective on life make her a hit with audiences everywhere. Melissa also co-produces the Moving Van Show, a monthly, secret pop-up comedy show, as well as Sacramento FemmeFest, the city's first all-female comedy festival. In 2019, Melissa was voted best comedian by the Sacramento News & Review. Follow her on Instagram: @meowlissamcg

About Holly Shaw
Before becoming a comedian, Holly Shaw spent a lifetime on stage, T.V. and film as an actor, professional dancer and later as a speaker, coach and hypnotherapist. She's authored two books: the Amazon bestseller, The Creative Formula, as well as the newly released book, Making Art In the Middle of Madness and she was a regular teacher at SAG/AFTRA's conservatories in San Francisco as well as Los Angeles. Her podcast, Performers & Creators Lab, was named One of the Most Outstanding Podcasts of 2019 by Databird Research. Through all of her offerings she has helped thousands of performing artists, some of them Emmy Award winning and Grammy nominated, overcome stage fright, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can create the work they were born to make and become undeniably magnetic performers. Currently she lives in Oakland, CA where she runs and performs in the live weekly comedy showcase on the waterfront, the Comedy Edge. To learn more, please visit www.performersandcreatorslab.com
Composer
Dan Cantrell is an Emmy award winning composer and multi-instrumentalist known for his innovative film scoring approach, and his virtuosic abilities on the accordion, piano and musical saw. “Hauntingly beautiful...quirky and energetic” says the San Francisco Bay Guardian. His extensive scoring catalogue spans a wide range of emotion and style. Dan’s compositions for film and television have earned him numerous awards including an Emmy Award for KQED’s Home-Front,a Golden Gate award for the soundtrack to the documentary Divided Loyalties, and an Annie nomination for his work on three seasons of Cartoon Network’s the Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Visit bellowhead.com

The incomparable Bay Area comedian, Chris Riggins! We talk about Dave Chappelle, his rapping career, fashion for men, merch, comedy of course and so much more.
Come see Chris Riggins at the Comedy Edge on the Oakland waterfront, Saturday, April 2nd, 2022. Click here for tickets and info.About Chris Riggins
"Chris Riggins has taken the art of stand up comedy and chose to stand out amongst a sea of other talented artists. From producing unique shows such as the Outdoor Comedy Club, opening for Dave Chappelle his first time on stage, to featuring and headlining at major clubs and colleges throughout the United States, the sky is truly the limit for Chris. . . . While many comics can make you laugh, few can make you reflect humorously on life experiences the way that Chris does." - Los Angeles Music Awards

Go download Chris's Fifth First Album now. For booking inquiries, please email: [email protected]

About Holly Shaw
Before becoming a comedian, Holly Shaw spent a lifetime on stage, T.V. and film as an actor, professional dancer and later as a speaker, coach and hypnotherapist. She's authored two books: the Amazon bestseller, The Creative Formula, as well as the newly released book, Making Art In the Middle of Madness and she was a regular teacher at SAG/AFTRA's conservatories in San Francisco as well as Los Angeles. Her podcast, Performers & Creators Lab, was named One of the Most Outstanding Podcasts of 2019 by Databird Research. Through all of her offerings she has helped thousands of performing artists, some of them Emmy Award winning and Grammy nominated, overcome stage fright, impostor syndrome, and creative blocks so that they can create the work they were born to make and become undeniably magnetic performers. Currently she lives with her son in Oakland, CA where she runs and performs in the live weekly comedy showcase on the waterfront, the Comedy Edge. To learn more, please visit www.performersandcreatorslab.com
Composer
Dan Cantrell is an Emmy award winning composer and multi-instrumentalist known for his innovative film scoring approach, and his virtuosic abilities on the accordion, piano and musical saw. “Hauntingly beautiful...quirky and energetic” says the San Francisco Bay Guardian. His extensive scoring catalogue spans a wide range of emotion and style. Dan’s compositions for film and television have earned him numerous awards including an Emmy Award for KQED’s Home-Front,a Golden Gate award for the soundtrack to the documentary Divided Loyalties, and an Annie nomination for his work on three seasons of Cartoon Network’s the Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. Visit bellowhead.com